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City of Caterpillar has digitally released archival recordings from 2001-2002, including a lost song recorded during their self-titled album session but initially shelved due to vinyl side-length limitations.

“As the Curtains Dim; (little white lie)” joins the two songs from ‘A Split Personality’ split 7″ with pg99, remastered in 2016 for a fuller sound, across all main digital services.

This accompanies the announcement of five additional reunion shows in January 2017, extending their previously announced (now sold out) tour dates. New shows added in Richmond, Boston, Rochester, Chicago and Detroit now have tickets available at the following locations:

One month after announcing their first live performances in 13 years, City of Caterpillar unveil a previously unreleased song and additional reunion shows in Richmond, Boston, Rochester, Detroit & Chicago for January 2017.

These five dates have been added to the recently announced (now sold out) reunion shows, with details as follow:

Additionally premiering today via NPR, is a long lost song recorded during the band’s self-titled album sessions but shelved due to vinyl length limitations. 14+ years later, “As the Curtains Dim; (little white lie)” is now available to listen via NPR’s ‘All Songs Considered’ segment, who called the song “classic City Of Caterpillar, set in a heavy and gloomy groove… scattered by jigsaw puzzle melodies and droning overtones“. Read more / listen here:

In addition, two early City of Caterpillar recordings originally released on ‘A Split Personality’ split 7″ with pg.99 have finally been mastered, also set for digital release everywhere this Friday with pre-orders available here:

We are stoked to announce announce the deluxe reissue of Virginia grind outfit Pig Destroyer‘s“Painter of Dead Girls” collection album, fully remastered and expanded with additional audio, additional artwork, archival photos and long-lost lyrics. Showcasing the band at their most primal (as a then-bassless power trio) these recordings capture the varied sounds of an envelope-pushing, borderline feral outfit.

In the leadup to this deluxe reissue, a largely unheard yet definitive version of their late-90s demo-era track ‘Delusional Supremacy’ is now streaming via Noisey:

With a sonically massive rendering, ‘Delusional Supremacy 2K’ was previously found only on an obscure early-00’s sampler, unavailable widespread until now. This blistering PxDx deep cut is finally given proper attention, and is unlocked within the “Painter of Dead Girls (Deluxe Edition)” digital pre-orders, as well as streaming as a standalone single via Spotify:

The vinyl version of “Painter of Dead Girls (Deluxe Edition)” is also available now for pre-order in the Robotic Empire – Online Store, including a limited color vinyl option.

Finally available again on vinyl after over a decade of unavailability, the first half of this collection was initially tracked as an equipment burn-in test during the millineal year leading up to Pig Destroyer self-recording their seminal “Prowler In The Yard” full-length. The secondary bulk of the material initially yielded their most sonically powerful recordings at the time, put to tape in the late 1990’s at Oblivion Studios (pg.99, Enemy Soil, etc).

Rounding out this expanded edition of “Painter of Dead Girls” is a raw mosh basement live recording of ‘Rejection Fetish’, along with a truly bludgeoning cover of Helmet‘s ‘In The Meantime’ complimenting the existing Dwarves and Stooges covers. With 19 blistering tracks in total all meticulously remastered by James Plotkin, this key piece of the Pig Destroyer catalog looks and sounds better than ever.

The original album artwork by Chris Taylor has been extended into a beautiful gatefold jacket with added metallic silver highlights. Newly created extra artwork adornes the interior, along with recently unearthed lyrics to all the PxDx songs found on “Painter of Dead Girls”, printed in full for the first time ever. A double-sided photo collage innersleeve houses the vinyl, containing classic photos from the era surrounding these recordings. The digital download versions includes a PDF booklet of these elements.

The vinyl version includes a full digital download of the album, and Pig Destroyer‘s classic “Painter of Dead Girls” collection is finally done justice on this deluxe edition release.

In a feature last year, Vice called Pig Destroyer “one of the most influential American grindcore bands” and frontman J.R. Hayes a “lyrical genius”. Commenting on the new reissue, Hayes states:

“Painter of Dead Girls is a record that really benefits from being on vinyl and the crushing new mastering job by James Plotkin makes it sound better than ever. This record combines the two EPs (split with Benumb and split with Gnob) that we released right before Prowler in the Yard. The material for the Benumb split was written in a couple days and recorded in one quick session the weekend before we recorded Prowler, and once we did that album, we kind of forgot about these two EPs, which is a shame, ’cause I think this might be some of our most vicious stuff. Fast-forward a couple months and somebody smashes my car window and steals my backpack, which contains a bunch of my notebooks. Talk about depressing. I thought the lyrics for the Benumb split were gone, and I never bothered to sit down and try to figure them out again.

Fast-forward a few years and Robotic Empire is compiling Painter of Dead Girls for its original CD release. Andy asks for the lyrics and I’m like [tugging at shirt collar] ‘Uh… about that…’ I mean, it’s one thing to not print the lyrics on purpose, but who doesn’t even know their own lyrics? It was kind of embarrassing. Fast-forward to a couple years ago, and I discover a stash of forgotten notebooks while I’m moving. Pinned inside one, I find a crumpled sheet that has most of the lyrics for the Benumb split, and this inspires me to actually sit down and figure the rest of them out. Fast-forward to now, and here they are, in print for the first time ever, along with some brand-new artwork from my favorite artist Chris “Crude” Taylor and first-class packaging courtesy of renowned music pimp Andy Low and the Robotic Empire. I can’t wait to hold one of these babies in my grubby hands.

“The framework for “Paper Cuts” was a welcomed challenge to work on as the track is already doomy and repetive. Going slow and low seemed to be the way to put our own stamp on the cover while maintaining the rawness and intensity of the original.”

The cover is part of Robotic Empire’s third Nirvana tribute LP, completing a trifecta of homages to the legendary grunge band’s studio albums. “Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach” is being released in conjunction with Record Store Day, akin to predecessors “Whatever Nevermind” (2015) and “In Utero: In Tribute” (2014).

“Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach” will be available on both vinyl and digitally come Saturday, April 16th. The physical release is en route to stores for Record Store Day, and the digital release is available for pre-order now:

Digital pre-orders (aside from Google Play) include immediate downloads of the This Will Destroy You track, along with previously streamed covers from Basement and Circa Survive, premiering over the last few weeks via The AV Club and Alternative Press respectively:

The Archivist and Robotic Empire are happy to announce the next round of digital releases newly available across the main download+streaming services (iTunes/Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, Bandcamp, etc). A dozen more albums and EPs are live now:

* Cloacal Kiss – Easter (originally released by Arclight Communications in 2002, members of The Sawtooth Grin and Virulence)
* Employer, Employee – Discography (combines the late 90’s early-00’s sic[sic] album and Mother Spain 7″, all physical editions and 2010 discography now out of print)
* Forstella Ford – Quietus (originally released by Level Plane in 2001)
* Forstella Ford – Retrospective (17 track collection release, originally released by Level Plane in 2003)
* Forstella Ford – Well Versed in Deception (their final album, originally released by One Day Savior in 2003)
* Harkonen – Harkonen (their debut album, originally released by Wreck Age in 1999. pre-Helms Alee)
* Hassan I Sabbah – Hassan I Sabbah EP (originally released as a limited 7″ by Robodog Records in 2000)
* Lickgoldensky – Lickgoldensky (their final album, originally released by Level Plane in 2004)
* Love Lost But Not Forgotten – Love Lost But Not Forgotten (originally released by Happy Couples Never Last in 2000)
* Love Lost But Not Forgotten – Upon the Right, I Saw a New Misery (originally released by Happy Couples Never Last in 2002)
* The Now – The Now EP (Neil Perry/Joshua Fit For Battle side project, originally released by Robodog/Robotic Empire in 2001)
* Various Artists – Drum Machine Madness EP (Grind comp w/ Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Wadge, Nemo, Pilgrim Fetus and Alien Crucifixion, originally released by Robodog/Robotic Empire in 2003)

In addition to these 12 classic out of print titles now made available widespread, Robotic Empire is excited to announce digital pre-orders for Tideland‘s latest album, Love Luster:

Set for release on Friday, August 21st, Tideland’s Love Luster sees these Virginian masters of grungepunkalternativerock in their finest (half)hour. Album pre-orders include immediate download of the hypnotic opening downer “All I Know” (recently premiered via Noisey/Vice), along with the catchy upbeat banger “Let Me In”.

A lengthy list of direct links to this latest round of 12 releases can be found below, and you can follow The Archivist direct via Facebook, Bandcamp and/or our newsletter to find out about future releases:

The first 15 digital releases from The Archivist launched less than 6 months ago as a method to make widespread availability of influential and inspiring music that may not otherwise reach fans worldwide. This included material from City of Caterpillar, Forcefedglass (mem Converge), Idolands (mem Daughters), Joshua Fit For Battle, Majority Rule, Riddle of Steel (pre-Tilts/Torche), Transistor Transistor, Welcome The Plague Year and Wraith (Capsule/Wrong/ex-Kylesa member Eric Hernandez side project).

The initial announcement and full list of those releases along with all relevant links can be found here:

Pittsburgh tech-metal hactivists Creation is Crucifixion has reactivated with a double-LP and live appearance scheduled at King of the Monsters’ 20th Anniversary Festival on Saturday, August 1st 2015.

Largely inactive for the past dozen years, CIC cut their teeth in the underground punk/hardcore circuits of the late 90’s and early 00’s. The band’s technical approach to death metal, mixed with a staunchly subversive attitude and subject matter garnered Creation is Crucifixion a cult-following.

Long rumored for over a decade, Antenna Builder, the ‘final’ recording by Creation is Crucifixion’s last active lineup is a 9-minute opus that brilliantly merges CIC’s heavy music along with the noise passages the band became renown for. As one of the highest-fidelity recordings from the band’s extensive output, the lineup’s similarly oppressive Rerecorded Splits material is being joined on a 45rpm 12″ vinyl record released by longtime cohorts Robotic Empire.

Accompanying the studio-recordings 12″ will be a live LP from a classic CIC’s set from on their last European tour, captured Geneva, Switzerland during May of the millennial year. These 15+ year recordings will both finally become available just in time for Creation is Crucifixion’s reunion show at King of the Monster Records’ massive 20th anniversary celebration in Mesa, AZ at the beginning of August. The band released material with the longrunning label back in the late 90’s.

In a lengthy new interview with Vice’s Noisey blog, CIC vocalist Nathan Martin details his transition from frontman of a hardcore metal band to tech company CEO:

“I got into the noise scene following people like Eric Wood [of Bastard Noise] and he’s into noise for a very valid reason, he cares about sound … I remember him always pushing to be more prolific. Man is the Bastard and Bastard Noise clearly do this, they are prolific. Keep doing it. That’s almost a kind of work ethic thing that I even try to do here at Deeplocal, the company I built. Just do it, get it out there, push it and do as much stuff as you can.

We started from a single contract to do some design work. I went back to what I loved doing, which is a little bit of physical engineering, a little bit of software, a little bit of design. I figured I’m just going to use this to do whatever I want to do and we slowly built the company from two people, to five, then eight and now to 25. It was slow, and we’re going on nine years now doing that.

What we did really well was always seize opportunities. When it seemed like there was an opportunity, we did it. I treated the company like a band. Everything that I learned from that band… I did with this company. We built a brand that’s more or less based on trying to be a metal band as a fucking company.”

The full interview gives a concise overview of both Creation is Crucifixion and Deeplocal, along with their approach and impact on existing in two complimentary but very different realms:

The Antenna Builder + Rerecorded Splits and Live In Geneva 2xLP will be available in a limited capacity at the King of the Monsters festival, followed shortly after by a widespread release via Robotic Empire.

We are extremely stoked to announce our second tribute to Nirvana, this time with their breakout Nevermind album being covered in full by a diverse range of bands. The new tribute LP, titled Whatever Nevermind, is being released April 18th in conjunction with Record Store Day 2015, and sees diverse contributions from Boris, Cave In, Circa Survive, Kylesa, La Dispute, Nothing, Pygmy Lush, Thou, Torche, Touche Amore, White Reaper, Wrong and Young Widows.

The lineup assembled for Whatever Nevermind has some of our favorite active bands running Nirvana’s classics through their own creative filters. What they’ve come up with is a great merging of individual style with a nod to the influence of ‘grunge’.

Nirvana clearly doesn’t need further accolade; they’ve been inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, are known by most music fans on the planet, and are one of the all-time greats. That being said, Nirvana helped shape our tastes and of countless musicians we respect, and to pay even a slight homage to them in return is a privilege. Working with the amazing range of talents involved here, including several return contributors from the first tribute LP, is an absolute honor, and we can’t wait for people to hear the results.

Circa Survive‘s take on ‘Drain You’ premieres today via Alternative Press and can be heard here:

On their method of tackling the project, Brendan from Circa Survive says:

“There are different ways to approach covering a band. For us, doing a Nirvana song takes us back to a very raw place that we were in when we were young and just falling in love with music. We didn’t want to say ‘here’s what this song would’ve sounded like if Circa wrote it’. It was way more fun for us to live in their energy and pay homage to their influence by just rocking the shit out of it and keeping it raw.”

The vinyl edition of Whatever Nevermind is being released as a 12″ + bonus 7″ combined, with artwork inspired by and mutated from the original album, and includes a high-quality digital download. Record Store Day 2015 will see an exclusive color-vinyl edition accompanied by a large poster, akin to the 2014 RSD release of In Utero: In Tribute.

The tribute will also be available April 18th to download/stream from all digital outlets, with digital pre-orders now available from iTunes including immediate availability of Circa Survive‘s cover of ‘Drain You’:

Last year’s In Utero: In Tribute vinyl sold out on release day, the digital version received a spotlight on the iTunes storefront and received coverage across high-profile media including Alternative Press, SPIN and The Guardian.

As Robotic Empire’s 100th release, “In Utero: In Tribute” concluded an oft-rumored, elusive 7-year project. Just one year later, the catalog number for followup homage “Whatever Nevermind” appropriately lands at Robo 116, as the label celebrates its 16th year of existence with this release. We couldn’t be more proud and excited to present this to you!